Unexpected Reunion
by Black Birch
Summary: He had not seen her for years and suddenly, there she was, staring back at him from across the clearing. His mind blanked, but she knew better, so she ran. She ran for her life. She could not let him catch her - kakasaku


**Disclaimer:** I do not own "Naruto". The manga belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

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**Unexpected Reunion**

Chapter One

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A breeze blew by, rustling the leaves above his head. The setting sun shone like golden freckles on the dirt covered ground, as the man made his way home. He had been gone for months, two months alone on a solo mission where he was to gather information on a rising group of rogues in Earth Country. Rumor had it that they were planning an attack on a Fire Country Daimyo's son, currently living in Earth for business. Kakashi had served as information gatherer as well as the man's personal guard. It turned out that the rumor was just that, a rumor, but the mission was considered a success as the Daimyo's son was safe and no one had come to harm.

He couldn't wait to get home. When he was younger it hadn't mattered to him where he was, but over the years Kakashi had learned that he appreciated the comfort his village provided him. It felt nice having something to get back to. Someplace where he could kick back and forget. Somewhere where he could be someone other than a killing machine, where he could be human.

Passing a clearing, Kakashi turned his head. _Perhaps it would serve as a good camping place for the night?_ He knew the territory was safe. There was a small, civilian village about an hour's walk away. Other than that, there was no human activity nearby. It was neutral ground and therefore it was safe, as long as no one with bad intentions stumbled upon him during the night. _I'll summon Pakkun. He can keep watch while I sleep-_

His train of thoughts was interrupted as a flare of chakra alerted his senses. He pulled out a kunai, taking cover behind a tree as he scouted the area with his lone eye. _How come I didn't notice it sooner?_ The chakra-signature was strong. If Kakashi hadn't known better, he would have called it familiar. It was unusual, but sometimes people had very similar signatures. It must have been what threw him off. _Who did it remind him of?_

He could hear the rustle of clothes as someone made it through the woods on the other side of the clearing. He had already masked himself, leaving him invisible to the potential threat approaching. Kakashi uncovered his Sharingan, ready to fight if necessary.

A gasp left his cloth-covered lips and for a moment, Kakashi lost his footing, causing his knees to wobble. He gathered himself instantly, blinking a few times as if not sure of what he was seeing.

A young woman emerged through the trees. She looked happy, content, as she walked into the meadow of flowers, carrying a basket filled with what looked like herbs. Her sharp eyes searched the clearing, causing her to smile when she found what she was looking for. She walked twelve steps, Kakashi counted, before she bent down to pick the pastel coloured wildflowers growing among the high grass.

Kakashi signed with his fingers, whispering, "_Kai_."

He waited.

Nothing happened.

_I can't believe it._

Inside his chest, his heart started to race. He had to calm his breathing, forcing it not to get out of control. Kakashi searched his surrounding once more, looking for other traces of chakra or signs of that he was trapped in a jutsu, but he found nothing. The only other chakra-signature he felt was hers. It was hers. It had to be, even if it seemed impossible. The ninja all but pinched his arm, before he took a step closer to the clearing.

A twig broke under his foot, causing the woman to flinch. She rose to her feet, quickly scanning the area. The look of concentration broke on her face, her lips parting in shock, as Kakashi stepped out into the light.

It felt like hours, them standing there, staring at each other. All that separated them were a few meters.

Kakashi swallowed, licking the dry lips under his mask. "Sakura?" The uncertainty in his voice was new to him. He didn't recognize it.

Surprise flashed over the woman's face, her lips flinching as if she was about to speak.

He knew there was still a chance that it wasn't her, but he couldn't help the sudden flare of relief going through his chest. He knew that chakra-signature. It had to be her. How could he not have recognized it?

_She is alive. Sakura is alive._

"_Hey_!" The shout left him in reflex. Sakura was running through the field, leaving the basket of herbs behind her as she ran. She was fleeing, trying to get away from him. Something had to be wrong. Horribly wrong.

Gathering chakra to his feet, Kakashi ran, trying to catch up with her. Whatever she had been up to, for whichever reason she had not come home, she must somewhat have kept up with her training. It was a thought that bothered him.

Blue energy was pulsing under the balls of her feet, increasing her footing and speed. Sakura looked over her shoulder, her eyes wide with fright as she continued to escape. Ignoring the feeling of weariness, Kakashi pushed himself harder, quickly closing in on her. Once, she had been faster than him. Luckily, today was not the case.

"Sakura! Come back here!"

The calling of her name caused her eyes to meet his form once more. She was careful not to look him in the eye, knowing he could easily end the chase if she did. The distraction led Sakura into a tree. Her calf scratched against its rough bark and Kakashi could hear the series of curses leaving her lips. She sounded out of breath, but she kept on running.

Sakura pushed a massive amount of chakra into her legs, increasing her speed momentarily before she kicked the right one into a tree, causing it to fall behind her. As it went down, she kicked another and a third, cutting off Kakashi's escape route. The man had to dodge, giving Sakura an advantage as she tried to get away from him. Fleeing was her only option. She couldn't risk losing a battle against him. She had to get home.

The pink-haired woman continued to maim the vegetation around her in a desperate attempt to escape. It was time to end it. Kakashi was tired from traveling, but he was still in better shape than Sakura was. A quick series of hand seals teleported him further into the woods. He hid behind a tree, watching as Sakura looked for him yet again, but he was nowhere to be seen.

She stopped suddenly, focusing on her surroundings. Sakura's chest was heaving. She could not sense him, but she knew that Kakashi was close, watching her and ready to strike any second. Once more energy gathered in the sole of her foot as she let it crash into the ground below her. The earth shook from the burst of power, causing rocks and trees to fly into the air, leaving room for a giant crater. Kakashi had to leave his hiding place in order not to be crushed by the masses.

Dirt flew in the air, making it even harder to see in the dark. Kakashi coughed, as he looked for Sakura. He couldn't see her, nor could he sense her chakra, which meant that it was masked and impossible for him to find with the Sharingan.

He closed his eyes, listening to the noises around him. There was still a light rumble in the forest and the occasional sound of falling dirt, but in the distance to his left, he heard something moving.

Kakashi ran as quickly as he could in the direction of the sound. The closer he got, the surer he got that it was in fact Sakura that he heard. A flash of pink between the thick branches ahead told him that he had found her.

Just like before, his hands formed the seals that teleported him further into the woods. He landed on the ground, steadying himself with his hands against the bark of a pine. Kakashi could hear Sakura breathing. She was coming closer.

Carefully Kakashi looked for Sakura, finding her less than a hundred meters away. Each step she took brought her closer and closer to him, as she unknowingly ran into his trap. He had to be careful. She had not tried to truly hurt him yet, but that didn't rule out the possibility that she would.

Taking a deep breath, Kakashi took his position.

_Thirty meters._

Her ragged breathing came closer.

_Twenty meters._

He could smell her now.

_Ten meters._

She was just within his reach. All he had to do was take her.

_Five. Four. Three. Two. One._

A scream filled his ears, the moment his arms closed around Sakura's lithe frame. The impact of their bodies knocked the air out of them, but Kakashi had the moment of surprise to his advantage. Spinning her around, Kakashi pushed Sakura against the tree, as his hand held her head still.

_Gotcha_.

As soon as the word formed in his mind, his borrowed eye was spinning, knocking Sakura out cold. She slumped against his frame like a bag of bones. Kakashi caught her in his arms, gently balancing her against himself. His chest was heaving heavily. He got her. He couldn't believe it. After all these years, Sakura was alive.

With shaky fingers, Kakashi brushed away the strands of pink covering her face. Her cheek was scratched, most likely from one of the low handing branches they had pushed away as they ran. He noticed she had several marks on her arms and legs. The light clothes she wore did little to protect her skin. He didn't care that his touches were somewhat inappropriate. He had to feel her under his fingers, checking to see if she had all her fingers and toes. It was the only way he could comprehend the situation.

She looked the same, other than that her hair was longer and that she might have put on a little weight, she looked just like the Sakura he remembered.

Finally, Kakashi pressed his fingers against her pulse point. It was even, beating just like it should. He relaxed, letting himself feel relieved for a moment. At least she appeared to be in good health, but the feeling did nothing to calm the nagging thought that was screaming inside his head.

_If she remembered who she was, why did she try to escape?_

* * *

The ground was moving beneath her. It danced, swinging her from left to right in a lulling pace. Green grass, rocks and an occasional root filled her field of vision, as she swayed to the rhythm of the night. Sakura frowned as she felt herself slide, the ground coming closer with her shift. The grimace panting her face grew deeper, as a new object came into view. It was familiar, yet she could not place it. _It looked nice… Nice and firm._ She continued to focus on the object. It moved in tune with the ground, never missing a beat. How could she not remember where she had seen it before?

Groggily, she reached out, about to pet it, only to realize that her hands were bound together. Her heart sunk. She was trapped.

"I see you are awake."

Realization hit the second she registered his identity. Like ice cold water it washed over her, pulling her from her haze. As she once more let her instincts take over, Sakura started fighting. She had to get lose.

"_Hey_, calm down."

He sounded aggravated, but she did not care. Sakura continued struggling, kicking her arms and legs in an attempt to get off of his shoulder. She hoped it would make him lose his balance, but as expected of him, he didn't even budge.

"Let go of me!" It was the first words she had said to him in years.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," he announced harshly, continuing down the road in the moonlit forest, lightly picking up his speed.

Sakura cursed her stupidity, as she realized she hadn't even tried to use her chakra. Preparing to gather the energy necessary to break free, her heart dropped. He had robbed her of it.

"Damn it, Kakashi! Let go of me!"

"No."

"Let me go!" A negative met her once more.

Judging by the dark surrounding them, it had only been an hour or two since he caught her. It had been twilight when he spotted her from across the clearing, letting go of the pack in his hands, only to come rushing after her as she fled. Sakura still recognized the woods around them. They hadn't come very far from home.

Feeling the panic starting to spread, Sakura became desperate. She had no chakra and Kakashi was stronger than she was. Despite the years he had on her, he was in better physical shape than she was. Not to mention she was sore all over from the impact of their collision. If she were to have even the slightest of chance to escape, she would have to outsmart him.

The familiar burning spread through her chest, as her eyes squinted close and she started to cry. She stopped her attempt to get lose, relaxing her body. It was fruitless. There was no way out. She felt the man beneath her stop. He came to a halt, stiffening slightly at her sudden outlet of emotion. It was evident he had not expected her to cry. Hatake Kakashi had never been comfortable when it came to her tears.

"Sakura?" He sounded unsure. His voice did not hold the determined authority it had minutes before. "Sakura, are you all right?" His hand touched her back.

This was her chance. She had to make it count.

Lifting her thigh into the air, she swiftly let it crash against Kakashi's chest. The man let out a pained whimper, followed by a series of profanities as Sakura pushed herself off his body and started running. Any more force behind the kick and it would have stopped his heart.

"Get back here!" he wheezed. "Sakura, get back here!"

The sound of Kakashi's voice echoed between the trees, as Sakura hurried through the poorly lit woods. The moon was providing her with enough light to make out what waited for her a few meters ahead, keeping her from tripping over the tangled forest floor.

Yet again a burning sensation filled her lungs. She was not in the form she had once been, feeling the strain not only in her chest but in her legs, too. She didn't have the time to work out daily anymore. She had other obligations, other needs to fill. The drowsiness from the sleeping jutsu Kakashi must have cast on her didn't make her escape any easier.

"No!" Sakura screamed, as she heard the heavy breathing of the beast behind her. "You, son of a bitch- That is cheating!"

Sakura did her best to outrun him, but for a second time that night, a raw cry left her lips, as something heavy tackled her to the ground. The fall had her head banging against a rock and soon the sweet, metallic smell of blood was registered by her senses.

Sakura tried to get loose, but the beast above her would not move, growling lightly in her ear in warning. She had no choice but to give up.

She was crying when he reached her. This time he could tell that her tears were real.

"Please," she begged him. The Sakura he remembered was not one to beg. "Please, Kakashi, just let me go."

He didn't answer, as he told the giant dog to get off of her. Bull complied immediately, licking Sakura's cheek in apology before stepping off her and taking his place next to his master.

"You are dismissed. Tell the others to keep quiet. They'll smell her all over you."

Bull disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving the two ninja alone in the dark. Kakashi waited for Sakura to move, but let out a frustrated noise as the girl remained on the ground.

"Get up." The only response Kakashi got from her was a broken sob. "I said, _get_ _up_."

Sakura screamed as he grabbed a hold of her shoulders, dragging her off the ground. He did not hurt her, but the knowledge of that she had lost ripped through her body like a kunai.

"Please," she tried again, "you have to let me go."

He remained silent.

Finding her courage, Sakura lifted her gaze from where it was glued to his chest, only to find a single dark eye glaring back at her.

"Please, Kakashi." Her bound hands moved to touch him. "Please, let me go. Forget you ever saw me. I beg you. _Please_."

The added plea at the end was only a whisper, but it seemed to have an almost physical impact on the man. He stepped back from her, slapping at her hands as if her touch had burned him. Sakura was too afraid to move, so she stayed still, watching as his chest raggedly moved up and down.

"I thought you were dead." He was furious, she could tell. The venom was weighing down heavily on his words. "We all thought we had lost you. Your name is engraved on the cenotaph. I thought you were gone!"

His patience was lost. Kakashi moved swiftly, turning to face her completely, as his hand flew up to uncover his Sharingan.

"No! Please, _no_!" Sakura ducked her head, falling to the ground as her knees gave in beneath her. She was exhausted. She didn't have it in her to fight anymore. Whatever he had given her to repress her chakra, it had taken its toll on her body.

Feeling the firm grip of his hands on her body again, she snapped. Sakura knew that if she didn't say it now, she would not have a chance to before it was too late.

"I have a son!"

Kakashi froze. It felt like forever before he let go of her, letting her body hit the ground for the fourth time that night. The suspense was affecting her breathing, causing it to come out in heavy pants. It pained her.

"You're lying," he accused.

"I'm not lying!" she spat. "Why the hell would I lie about such a thing?"

The man before her regarded her with cold, analyzing eyes. He did not believe her. It was evident.

"Prove it," he demanded.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Sakura retoured angrily.

"What, you don't keep a picture of him in your wallet?"

Sakura glared. "I do, but I don't have it with me, as I'm sure you must have noticed when you patted me down earlier."

He didn't say a word as he once again started her down with his critical gaze.

"What?" she asked stupidly, not catching his words.

"I said, take me to him." The confusion she felt must have been written all over her face, as Kakashi continued to speak, "I'll let you go get him before I take you back to Konoha." Frowning at her shock, Kakashi looked away from her watering eyes. "I'm not a monster, Sakura. Get up. Though, if I find out that you are in fact lying to me I'll make sure to knock you out cold for days, leaving you no room to escape so you might as well stop being dishonest right now and come along willingly. It would save us both-"

"I'm not lying!" Sakura shouted, really annoyed this time.

Kakashi's expression was blank. "If you say so. Come on. He must be waiting for you or perhaps he is with his father-"

"Suzume has no father."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as he once more caught her gaze. Just like old times, Sakura's cheeks flared up, showing her embarrassment.

"Well, of course he has one, _technically_, but he's not part of our lives. It's just the two of us."

"Then I believe it won't be too hard going back home."

_Home. It sounded wrong. It all seemed so distant._

Sakura already knew the answer to the question. There was no way Kakashi would agree to it, but the pink haired woman felt that she at least had to try, "Can't you just let us be?"

The hard stare he regarded her with was answer enough. Silence stretched between them, making Sakura tense. Kakashi was the first one to break it, as he asked her if she could get up by herself.

"I think so," she mumbled, trying to get her bruised body to move. She felt her face grown hot, as Kakashi reached out to aid her. "Thanks," she mumbled so low that he almost didn't hear her.

Without saying a word, her former mentor gestured for her to lead the way.

Walking proved difficult. It seemed her right ankle was badly bruised. Sakura knew from experience that it wasn't broken, but it was bad, especially having to walk on it while untreated.

"You're hurt," Kakashi stated.

"I'm fine," Sakura protested. "It's just a bruise."

"The fact remains."

His nonchalant declaration bothered her. Ever since she had been placed on his team as a genin, the silver haired man had managed to get under her skin and by the time she had neared sixteen, no one else could rile her up like he could. She despised his collected authority. Sakura was a person driven by her emotions. Kakashi was not. She found it frustrating how he could just stand there, when her reaction would have been to break down and cry or to crush the ground beneath her feet. He always kept his cool. No matter what, he controlled his emotions. Except for tonight. Sakura had never seen him act like he had towards her minutes ago.

The woman was too tired to feel humiliated when Kakashi sighed, moving to help her walk. With him supporting her side, she no longer had to put her weight on the harmed foot.

"Thanks," she muttered.

Kakashi shrugged.

Sakura reached down to inspect her injury. Only then did she notice she was wearing a dark, all too familiar, long-sleeved shirt. _He must have put it on me when I was out._

They hadn't been walking for long when Kakashi stopped, letting out a frustrated sight.

"This won't work," he said, letting go of Sakura so that she now supported her own weight.

The young woman did not understand what he meant before he shrugged off his backpack, moving it to his front.

"Oh, no. No, no, no, no, _no_!"

"Yes, come here."

"No," Sakura argued, glaring at him. "And I am not riding piggyback on your back. I'd rather walk by myself."

Once more, Kakashi sighed. "It's going to take forever if you don't. Sure, you've put on a little weight, but it's nothing I can't handle."

It took a moment for the comment to register, but when it did, Sakura gasped, looking horrified. "Are you calling me fat?" she spat.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask.

_Just like old times._

He ignored her reaction, sighing as if she was the impossible one. Honestly he was just teasing her to lighten the mood. The change in her body wasn't that significant. Others would probably not have noticed.

"No funny business," the silver-haired man warned her, as he pulled out a kunai to untie her hands.

Sakura started to rub her wrists as soon as the rope was gone, soothing the irritated skin. "I'm still not letting you carry me," she informed him.

The man let out a frustrated sound. "Just come here already."

Kakashi didn't give her much of a choice as he pulled her by the arm, crouching down at the same time as he pulled her over his body. Sakura clamped down on his shoulders, before securing her legs around his hips. It was all done in reflex.

"Asshole," she called him.

She didn't see it, but she was sure that he smirked, so she wacked him on the head.

"Ouch-" he uttered as he started rubbing his temple.

"Be glad that is all I did to you," she warned him.

"How have you been?"

The question surprised her. They had been walking for a while. Sakura didn't expect Kakashi to make small talk. Usually he didn't speak more than necessary, but tonight had already proved to be different from any other either of them had experienced before.

"Fine," she answered reluctantly.

She didn't bother asking him back or any other questions for the matter. Sakura knew better than to expect an answer from the man, especially one regarding himself even if it was as trivial as the one she had just given him. She had known him for years and back before she had decided not to return to Konoha, Sakura had seen them as close. It was when she had left the village that she had come to realize that she still knew close to nothing about him. She had been the one giving information about herself, eager to get closer to him and yet all she had learned was his strange ways. Though still, she couldn't understand most of them.

"Who is he?"

The question came out of nowhere.

"Who?"

"The father."

"Just… some guy." Sakura blushed, her cheeks darkening as Kakashi hummed in answer beneath her.

"Did he leave you?"

"No," Sakura spat, her face blooming bright red. "He doesn't know," she added finally, looking into the woods in shame.

"I see." His blunt answer did nothing to ease her embarrassment. "How did you two meet?"

"What does it matter to you?" the girl snapped. Her tone told him that she did not want to be questioned further about who had fathered her child.

Kakashi sighed, deciding his questions about the boy could wait.

Sakura bit back a groan as Kakashi jumped over a fallen tree before landing hard on the ground. She was sore all over, but she had been through worse. Sakura did not want Kakashi to think she was weaker than she had already proved to be. It had been a long time since she had to run for her life. The life she lived now was peaceful and much quieter. Her biggest problem was looking out for her son, making sure that he was all right. Suzume was never worse off than with a fever.

It was strange being this close to Kakashi again. Seeing him at all was overwhelming. The day she left, Sakura thought she would never see a person from her past again. It was an unexpected reunion, one that sadly wasn't welcomed.

He looked the same. He even smelled the same, apart from something Sakura couldn't quite put her finger on. Whatever it was though, she didn't like it. Not that it mattered anymore.

"How much longer is it?" Knowing he had been near a small village when he first saw Sakura, Kakashi could only assume it was where she lived.

"Not very far."

Sakura's reluctance to chitchat stopped Kakashi from asking any further questions. Just like she had promised, Kakashi could soon see the warm light of a community ahead. He didn't believe her action was conscious, as she pushed away from him, turning to walk on her own. He saw determination in her eyes, as she stepped onto a small set of steps, raising her hand to knock. It was dark inside the house, but as she made a second attempt to wake a response, someone turned on a light.

As the door opened an elderly woman stood in the lit opening, a gasp leaving her lips, as she laid eyes on Sakura's roughened exterior. "Dear child," she said, "what happened to you?"

"I'm all right, Tanaka-san. I had a run in with an old friend, that's all. I thought he was someone else, so I ran and I tripped."

The woman with graying hair leaned out of the door, only to regard Kakashi with suspicious eyes. Kakashi caught himself thinking, _If looks could kill_, but remained unmoved on the ground.

"Has this man harmed you, Sakura?"

"No, Akira. He has not."

Kakashi could tell she did not trust a single word Sakura said.

"Could you get Suzume for me, please? I know it's late. I'm sorry I didn't come by as promised and that I now have woken you up, but could you be so kind?"

After careful consideration, the woman nodded. "Come with me."

Sakura let out a heavy breath, finally relaxing. She was going to see her baby.

"Not you," Akira said, as Kakashi followed Sakura up the stairs. "You'll wait here."

The man didn't have time to protest before the door was slammed in his face, leaving him alone on the dark street. Sighing in frustration, Kakashi reached into the front pocket of his flank vest, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He needed a smoke, badly.

Inside Sakura was doing her best not to falter. She was surprised, as Akira grabbed a hold of her hand, leading her into the bathroom rather than the bedroom where Suzume was asleep.

"We can't let your son see you like this," she explained, when Sakura threw her a questioning look. "Sit down. I'll clean the blood off your face."

Sakura hissed, as the warm cloth made contact with the cut on her forehead.

"You'll need stitches."

"I'll take care of it. Don't you worry," Sakura assured her.

"That man," Akira hesitated, "is he?"

"Yes."

The old woman nodded. "He has come to take you back to where you came from." It wasn't a question.

Sakura nodded.

"When are you leaving?"

"I don't know. I hope he'll let us stay the night here, but you never know with him."

They stayed quiet.

"Does he know?"

Sakura paused before whispering, "No." The single word burned.

"Is he a good man? Can you trust him?"

"Yes. He's a great man." Sakura saw that the older woman doubted her, but she could hear that Sakura was telling her the truth.

A smile that could only be described as pitiful graced Akira's lips before she spoke, "There you go," she said, wiping the last trace of metallic fluid of Sakura's skin. "All done."

"Thank you, Akira. Thank you so much for everything-"

"There's no need to thank me, dear. Just promise me you'll be safe and that you'll take good care of that boy of yours. Write me once in a while, will you? And send me some pictures. You know I wouldn't mind if you visited."

"I promise. And no one wants to harm me back home. You don't have to worry about us."

Smiling, Akira helped Sakura to her feet, as they made it down the dark corridor and into the room at the end.

She nearly started to cry when she spotted Suzume's small form sleeping alone on the bed, hugging the worn toy tiger to his side. She had promised him she would be back in time, only to let him down and now she was going to ruffle his feathers further, pulling him from the place he called home and the people he knew as his family and friends.

Careful not to wake him, Sakura lifted Suzume up, cradling him in her arms before she took the small bag of Suzume's belongings from Akira's hand.

Kakashi was getting anxious. It had been over half an hour and Sakura had still not left the house. He could still sense her inside, but he was in no mood hunting her down again if she tried to run.

He took a deep drag from his cigarette. It was the second one he had since Sakura went inside.

Just as he was about to go in, the door opened, revealing a tired looking Sakura with a sleeping child on her shoulder. The elderly woman gave her and the boy a long hug, before letting go and facing Kakashi with a hard stare.

_You better not hurt them._

Sakura walked down the stairs and frowned when she came to stand before him, looking at the burning tobacco between his lips.

_That's what it was._

"Let's go," Sakura said, keeping her voice down not to wake her son.

"Good. I was thinking we could make camp-"

"No."

A silver eye brow rose. "No?"

"No, my son and I are sleeping in our own home tonight. You may do as you please, but I'm not pulling him through the woods at this hour. You can have the couch if you want to. Make up your mind fast, because we're leaving."

Turning her back to him, Sakura walked off with what seemed to be ease. Her injury appeared to be forgotten, as she hurried down the streets to a small three-storey building complex not too far from the house they had just left.

Kakashi walked in silence behind her, taking in the unreal sight before him.

Sakura was alive. She was not dead, as he had believed her to be for the past years, but breathing and the mother of a small boy. She was as fierce as he remembered her to be. With her son in her arms, she sought to that his needs were fulfilled before her own and even more importantly so, Kakashi's wishes.

As they stopped before a red door on the top floor of the building, Kakashi assumed they had reached their destination.

Sakura coughed, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Do you mind?" she asked, obviously referring to his cigarette.

Kakashi took one last pull from it before dropping it on the ground, where he put it out with his foot. Lifting his gaze, he found Sakura staring back at him with disapproving eyes.

"Since when do you smoke anyway?"

He stared at her before he answered, "I picked it up again six years ago."

Other than the slight widening of Sakura's eyes, she showed no reaction to his answer. A frown soon changed Sakura's delicate features. Kakashi could see the wheels turning in her head.

"What?" he asked.

"Could you-?" She stopped herself, seeming bothered having to ask.

He held her gaze. "Could I what?"

"Could you get the key in my pocket? I don't want to wake him."

Kakashi was quiet. "Which one?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.

"The left one on the front of my shorts."

Kakashi nodded, reaching forward. Sakura buried her face in the little boy's hair. The smell of her son was distracting enough for her not to think about Kakashi slipping his long fingers down her thigh, only to fish out her keys.

"Thank you," Sakura whispered, reaching out to take the cluster of metal.

"Which one is it?"

Meeting his eyes, she smiled softly. "The one with the green cap."

Sakura disappeared into the dark as soon as Kakashi got the door open. He heard her mumbling something on the other side of the apartment, as a tired whimpered reached his ears.

The apartment seemed nice. It was evident that she had built them a home here. It was nicer than any home Kakashi had ever had. Picture frames in different shapes and sizes could be seen in the bookshelf. All of them told a different story. In one of the pictures Kakashi saw what must have been one of the very first pictures ever taken of Sakura as a new mother. She was dressed in a hospital gown, a bright smile painted her lips, as she gazed down on the newborn in her arms. She looked exhausted, but Kakashi had never seen her looking so happy.

Something clenched inside of him when he saw a familiar photo standing on the top shelf. He reached for it, holding it in his gloved hands. It had been taken at the Spring festival. Not only he, but Sakura as well as Naruto and Sai were wearing traditional clothing. They were smiling and his arm was around Sakura's back. Her arm went around Sai, who held on to a grinning Naruto. A cross went down the middle of the picture, slicing Sai's shoulder. She must have had it on her the day she left, securely folded in her pocket to remember them forever.

The third photo that caught Kakashi's attention, showed the toothless grin of a dark eyed boy. All his teeth weren't missing, just one in the lower jaw. The boy – Suzume – pointed at the missing tooth, grinning as if it was his greatest accomplishment. It was a milestone in the young child's life, one of many yet to come and of those that Kakashi had already missed.

The silver-haired ninja flinched when he heard someone move behind him. Sakura had emerged from what he suspected was her bedroom, softly closing the door behind her. The young woman froze as she saw the picture frame in his hands.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, putting back the picture.

"No, you're not."

He couldn't stop the soft sound of amusement that left him. "No, I'm not," he agreed.

"I'll get you a pillow and a blanket. We'll leave in the afternoon after we've eaten. I'll have to sort a few things out-"

"How old is he?"

Sakura stopped talking, staring at him with cautious eyes.

"He's turning six this fall," she informed him reluctantly.

"So, that makes him five."

"Yes."

"And you just barely eighteen when you had him."

She had to swallow before she gave him her confirmation. Kakashi didn't acknowledge her answer in any way.

"I never stopped thinking about you," he said at last. "I always wondered what happened. They never found your body or a trace of something going wrong. They figured somebody must have taken you. After awhile, Tsunade forbade me to continue looking for you." Kakashi paused. It felt as if an eternity passed. "Nothing happened. It was your decision, wasn't it? You left because you wanted to."

Sakura swallowed, nodding her head. He could see she was on the verge of tears.

"He is mine. Isn't he?"

Her arms fell to her sides, as her expression went slack. Kakashi was staring back at her from across the living room, his air as shaken as her own.

"Suzume is my son."

He barely caught it as she whispered to him, "Yes."

That was when for a fourth time that evening, Sakura started crying. Dropping her head, she closed her eyes, not having the courage to face him. Her breath hitched, as a pair of arms wrapped around her, pulling her into a familiar embrace.

Kakashi didn't say anything. He just held her. He did not know what to feel. His emotions were all over the place. He felt like screaming, but he did the grown up thing and pushed his feelings aside. Because in that moment, the girl he had believed to be forever gone was alive, wrapped in his arms and in need of him more than ever.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, what do you think? That was the first chapter in my new multi-chapter kakasaku story. I have tried and tried and tried to finish the next chapter of "Shadows from the Past", but I can't for reasons unknown. I'm about a third through and hopefully it t will be out this weekend, so stay tuned!

Anyway, I hope this will inspire and push me to write on my other stories. When I grow tired of one, I'll go and write on the other. I see the beginning of an addiction starting…

I have been playing around with this idea for a while. There are too few stories of my favorite pair and their offspring. Especially the complicated kind, hint, hint. Oh, how I love drama!

Some of you might be glad to hear that soon I'll be finishing school for this semester, leaving me a lot of time to finally write as much as I want to. I know I am excited at least!

**Please** **tell me** what you thought of this chapter! Your words are what keep me going! Don't be shy! Throw it at me, the good and the bad!

In the meantime, hugs and kisses to you all!


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